Nisaa (Heather D. Ward) is an instructor, performer, and researcher of Egyptian dance based in St. Louis, Missouri. Specializing in Egyptian raqs sharqi as well as baladi, awalim, ghawazi, and other Egyptian folk and traditional dances, her work focuses on understanding dance within its broader sociocultural and historical context. With academic degrees in anthropology and history, Nisaa has studied with internationally renowned artists as well as Egyptian traditional entertainers and has been teaching Egyptian dance since 2003. Her research into the history of Egyptian dance and its professional practitioners led to the publication of Egyptian Belly Dance in Transition: The Raqs Sharqi Revolution, 1890–1930 and her latest book, Raqs in the City: The Belly Dance Landscape of Cairo. Through her teaching, performance, and research, Nisaa works to deepen understanding of Egyptian dance as both a living art form and a reflection of the history and culture that shaped it.
In this episode you will learn about:
- What most dancers got wrong about Egypt’s Delta Ghawazi
- Why traditional styles deserve the same depth of study as Raqs Sharqi
- What the disappearance of Muhammad Ali Street changed in Egypt’s dance industry
- How class and gentrification influence where Egyptian dance is presented today
- Why professional dancers in Egypt still carry a powerful social stigma & how outsiders can misjudge Egyptian dancers without understanding their reality
Show Notes to this episode:
Find Nisaa (Heather D. Ward) on Instagram, FB, YouTube, and website.
Previous interview with Nisaa:
Ep 236. Nisaa (Heather D. Ward): Detaching Opinions From Historical Realities
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